Northern vs Central Punjab Archives

Qasim, Shoaib lift CP in National T20 Cup clash against Northern

MULTAN: Central Punjab (CP) captain Qasim Akram and veteran batter Shoaib Malik led the charge in their final group stage encounter of the ongoing National T20 Cup 2022 against Northern with a fifty each, helping the side finish third in the standings.

Set to chase 163, the fifties from Qasim and Shoaib powered CP to seal a much-needed victory to finish the group stage of the tournament on a high after a dismal start.

The CP were off to a poor start to the run chase as the side lost both openers Faizan Khan and Muhammad Akhlaq at a mere 33 in the fifth over.

Top-order batter Tayyab Tahir, who had a remarkable tournament thus far, kept scoring at a rapid pace but failed short at the cusp of the batting powerplay as he fell to Salman Irshad for 23.

Following the slump, Shoaib and Qasim stood up for their side and put on a match-defining 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

The pair appeared solid and were looking confident to steer the CP over the line before Zaman Khan struck in the 18th over to remove Qasim for 58. He faced 37 deliveries in the course of his brilliant knock and smashed eight boundaries.

Right-handed experienced batter Shoaib, on the other hand, remained unbeaten and top-scored for the side with 62 off 39 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and two sixes.

For Northern, Mehran Mumtaz, Sohail Tanvir, Zaman, and Salman made one scalp each.

Batting first, Norther finished at a below-par 162/5 in the allotted 20 overs despite a magnificent knock from the opening batter Nasir Nawaz. He top-scored for the side with 82 off 57 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and four sixes.

Besides Nasir, none of the Northern batters could contribute significantly and the side, as a result, failed to amass a massive score. Skipper Umar Amin chipped in with 31 but remained a touch too slow as he faced 29 deliveries in the proceedings.

For CP, Aamer Yamin led the way with three wickets, while Hunain Shah and Faizan Khan struck out a batter each.

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Hamza rattles KPK as Sindh retain top position with 127-run victory

KARACHI: Mir Hamza was on song with his superb bowling spell that rattled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)’s batting line on the last day of their seventh-round contest here at State Bank Stadium.

Set to chase 257, KPK resumed Day 4 at 13-0. Sindh were on top after a slow start from the opposition. Mohammad Hasnain and Sohail Khan picked up two wickets initially after which Hamza joined the party at the center.

The left-arm pacer picked up six wickets in winning cause for Sindh who retained top position on the points table after seven rounds completed in the premium First-Class (FC) tournament.

Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 39 runs that saw the ball crossing the boundary six times. KPK were bowled out for 130.

Earlier, Khurram Manzoor once again sailed the sinking ship of his team by scoring a hundred which was his 30th in FC cricket. He made 107 runs laced with 12 boundaries as Sindh took the 256-run lead over KPK. Saad Khan made 89 to strongly support the Sindh’s opener at the crease.

On the other hand, Central Punjab’s batters, Waqas Maqsood and Muhammad Ali, only managed to add 10 runs to their side’s overnight score of 197/9, and the Central were bundled out for 207 in the first session of the final day, setting a target of 20 runs for Northern, which they comprehensively chased down for the loss of one wicket and registered their first victory in the ongoing edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT).

Haider Ali’s double century in the first innings laid the foundation for his team’s victory. Later, Haris Rauf’s six-fer in the first innings and Mubasir Khan’s six-fer in the second, aided Northern’s first victory. Haris took nine wickets in the match, while Mubasir took eight.

In another seventh-round match, Southern Punjab openers Tayyab Tahir and Umar Siddique were unable to extend their stand and the partnership was broken without adding a run on the final day as Umar was run-out on 17. Tayyab and Zeeshan Ashraf batted sensibly and formed an important partnership before Zeeshan was dismissed on 30 by Akif Javed. On the next ball by Akif, Salman Ali Agha bagged a golden duck.

Tayyab and Yousuf Babar, however, ensured that their side did not collapse, recording a brilliant 133-run partnership before Yousuf was sent back to the pavilion by Gohar Faiz on 63. Soon after, Tayyab was also dismissed; the batter had top-scored for the side with 86 runs before being sent back to the pavilion by Kashif Bhatti.

Muhammad Imran (36) and Zia Ul Haq (27) also made important contribution to the team’s total and Southern, in the end, were dismissed on 311, setting a target of 189 for Balochistan.

Kashif, a left-arm spinner, was the pick of the Balochistan bowlers, taking four wickets. Akif struck out three batters. Gohar and Akber-Ur-Rehman, on the other hand, each struck out a batter.

Balochistan batters could only face five overs in reply before stumps were called on the final day. Balochistan finished with a score of 24/0, and the game ended in a draw.

Northern will now face table-toppers Sindh in the eighth round of QEAT, which will take place from December 6th to December 9th. Central, on the other hand, would face Balochistan in the same round. Whereas, Southern will face KPK.

READ: Mubasir Khan’s fifer sets Northern on verge of big victory

Mubasir Khan’s fifer sets Northern on verge of big victory

KARACHI: Northern bowlers annihilated Central Punjab’s batting line-up on day 3 of their ongoing fixture in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) at NBP Sports Complex here on Thursday.

Northern’s batters, Usman Qadir and Waqas Maqsood, struggled after resuming at an overnight score of 223/8, and Waqas was soon sent back to the pavilion on 19 after the pair added only 20 runs in the game’s play. Soon after, Mohammad Ali was also walking back towards the pavilion as the 11th batter was dismissed for a duck. Usman remained undefeated with a hard-fought 37. Central were eventually bowled out for 257.

In the first innings, Northern’s stand-out bowler was Haris, who struck out six batters. Mubasir Khan claimed two wickets. Athar Mehmood and Raza Hasan, on the other hand, each struck out a batter.

Northern’s captain, Umar Amin, enforced the follow-on and put Central’s batters to bat again. The side, on the other hand, got off to a good start in the second innings, with openers Imran Dogar and Rizwan Hussain providing a solid start and helping their team set a fifty-plus partnership. The batters were looking solid until Rizwan was trapped on 32 by Athar.

Dogar and his skipper Ali Zaryab batted valiantly, scoring half-centuries and putting Northern on the back foot. Before Dogar was dismissed on 55 by Mubasir, the pair were looking to shift momentum their way. Zaryab tried to resist and played a gritty knock, but the wickets at the other end kept falling at an alarming rate, and he was soon dismissed on 71.

In the end, the team lost their last eight wickets for 74 runs and finished at 197/9 at stumps. On day 4, Waqas and Ali will resume the proceedings for Central. Northern are just one wicket away from their first victory in the ongoing season of QEAT.

Mubasir was the stand-out bowler for the Northern as the bowler bagged a five-wicket haul. Haris claimed three wickets. Whereas, Athar struck out a batter.

Table-toppers Sindh, on the other hand, are back in the game after being bowled out for 145 in the first innings against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the second match of the ongoing round of QEAT. Sindh batters fought back thanks to Khurram Manzoor’s magnificent century and solid partnership with skipper Asad Shafiq. Asif Afridi broke the pair at 195. Khurram led the way with 107 runs, while Asad scored an outstanding 83.

Saad Khan followed the footsteps of his seniors, scoring a brilliant 89 and keeping the scoreboard ticking as no other batter contributed significantly to the team’s total. Sindh were eventually dismissed for 377, and KPK was given a target of 257.

Irfanullah Shah was the standout bowler for the KPK, taking four wickets. Asif, too, was clinical, dismissing three wickets. Arshad Iqbal took two wickets. Iftikhar Ahmed, on the other hand, struck out a batter.

The KPK’s innings was started by Sahibzada Farhan and Musadiq Ahmed, who faced only 21 deliveries before stumps were called. On the final day, Farhan (9*) and Musadiq (4*) will resume the chase for KPK.

In another seventh-round match, Balochistan’s batters have turned the tables against Southern Punjab. Balochistan batters put on a show, scoring 606 runs to Southern’s 483. Shan Masood, Ayaz Tasawar, and Bismillah Khan all scored hundreds. Kashif Bhatti and Khurram Shahzad, on the other hand, played brilliantly and both scored half-centuries. Ayaz, however, top-scored with a magnificent 149.

Southern bowlers had a bad day at the office, as they conceded a lot of runs. However, Hasan Khan was their pick of the bowlers as he claimed three wickets. Both Ali Usman and Aamer Yamin took two wickets. Zia-ul-Haq, Mohammad Imran, and Adeel Ur Rehman, on the other hand, each struck out a batter.

Tayyab Tahir and Umar Siddiq opened the Southern innings, facing only 10 overs before stumps were called. Tayyab (18*) and Umar (17*) will resume the proceedings for Southern on the final day. The team is currently 86 runs behind.

READ: Haider hits double century before Haris sets Northern on top

Haider hits double century before Haris sets Northern on top

KARACHI: Haider Ali provided an eye-catching start to Northern after pacer Haris Rauf helped the side restrict Central Punjab for 223/8 on the second day of their ongoing fixture in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) at NBP Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Central’s batters struggled in response to Northern’s 445, as the team lost eight wickets for 223 at stumps. Their openers were also unable to get the team off to a good start, with Rizwan Hussain being dismissed on 7 by Haris Rauf. Imran Dogar and Ali Zaryab began to rebuild the innings but fell short when Dogar was dismissed on 43. When the score was 113, Zaryab (37) was also sent back to the pavilion.

Hussain Talat and Muhammad Saad looked solid as the pair added 70 runs to the team total before Saad was dismissed on 38 by Haris. Talat (51) was also on his way back to the pavilion after reaching a half-century. The rest of the batters were unable to contribute significantly to the team’s score. On day three, Usman Qadir and Waqas Maqsood will take over the proceedings.

Northern’s pick of the bowlers was Haris, who dismissed six batters before stumps. Ather Mehmood and Mubasir Khan each struck out a batter.

Batting first, Northern batters struggled to get off to a good start in their first innings, losing opener Zaid Alam (12) for 23 after he was dismissed by Mohammad Ali. However, Mohammad Huraira and his skipper, Umar Amin, put up a solid stand and kept their team out of trouble, as both batters scored half-centuries. Before being ejected, the duo contributed 96 runs to the team’s total. Northern lost both batters with the score at 119. Huraira scored 54, whereas, Amin scored 50.

The momentum appeared to have shifted Central’s way, but Haider’s masterful innings changed the game’s parameters. He scored a magnificent first-class double-century to put his side in command, scoring 206 off just 294 deliveries, including 27 boundaries and four sixes. Faizan Riaz, who batted alongside Haider, also delivered a solid performance, scoring 67 runs off 233 deliveries. The remaining batters were unable to make a significant contribution, and the team was bowled out for a massive total of 445 in the first innings.

Central’s Ali was the standout bowler as he bagged three wickets. Usman Qadir and Ahmed Safi Abdullah both struck out two batters.

At the toss in one of the matches of the seventh round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22, Central’s captain – Ali Zaryab – won the toss and put Northern into bat.

Northern are currently in fourth place on the points table. Central, on the other hand, is in second place.

On the other hand, table-toppers Sindh, are in trouble against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the second match of the ongoing round of QEAT, having been bowled out for 145 in the first innings. Arshad Iqbal of KPK bagged a five-fer. In response, KPK were bowled out for 265, taking a 120-runs lead. Musaddiq Ahmed was their standout batter, scoring 75 runs. Asif Afridi (50) also contributed with a half-century. Sohail Khan finished with a five-wicket haul. Mir Hamza, on the other hand, took three wickets for Sindh.

Sindh are looking comfortable in the second innings after starting poorly and losing two wickets, as their skipper Asad Shafiq and Khurram Manzoor stood up, added 126 runs to the team’s total after the side lost two wickets for just 11. Arshad and Irfanullah Shah each struck out a batter. Asad (50*) and Khurram (59*) will resume the proceedings for Sindh at 137/2 on day-3.

In another seventh-round match, Balochistan is trailing Southern Punjab by 207 runs to 483. Southern, batting first, struggled to get off to a good start, as the team’s openers were lost cheaply. This did not bother them much, as Salman Ali Agha (135), Zeeshan Ashraf (102) and Yousuf Babar (119*) all hit centuries to put their team in command. Salman, on the other hand, remained his team’s top scorer.

Khurram Shahzad and Akif Javed both had three wickets to their names. Kashif Bhatti claimed two wickets. Gohar Faiz and Najeebullah Achakzai, on the other hand, each dismissed a batter.

Balochistan responded poorly, losing two quick wickets for 28 runs, including Imran Butt and Umar Akmal, who returned to professional cricket after a 21-month absence. Shan Masood, on the other hand, played a gritty knock and scored a brilliant century before being dismissed by Ali Usman on 105. Ayaz Tasawar (58*) and Bismillah Khan (57) also contributed significantly to their team’s resurgence. On day three, the two half-centurions will resume for Balochistan at 276/4.

Ali and Amir Yamin each struck out two batters.

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